Rail operations will be suspended into each of the Port Botany container terminals as per below notice received this morning, this will add substantial pressure to VBS slot availability for road operations over this weekend and well into next week.
“ARTC will be carrying out essential track maintenance and improvement works this February at various locations between Port Botany to Flemington NSW. Works will commence from 2:00pm Friday 3 February 2023 and continue through until 2:00pm Wednesday 8 February 2023 with nightworks in some locations.
We will begin mobilizing to site and carrying out minor preparation work in the days and weeks prior to the shutdown work commencing and there will be post work site clean-up. All preparation and clean-up work will be completed during standard working hours”.
DP World Sydney has advised that “there will be heavy demand for Import & Export slots this week and the start of next week” with large import discharges from vessels such as CMA CGM Semarang, ANL Gippsland and Moana, all with import availabilities over the period of the rail closure. Patricks and Hutchinson Terminals are also expected to be heavily impacted with time slots at a premium.
GPSM Transport Team will liaise directly with all customers affected by the rail closure and time-slot availability.